The Wedding
by Ieri
Summary: In the end, a wedding shall take place. One heart will be shattered, another will find love, and an old friend will try to sew the pieces together. Beauty is in every way encouraging and there is beauty when you follow the silence into the light. NickOC


Author's Note: What if Madison decided to agree to marry Benjamin without taking Nicolas' feelings into consideration. Could Vida's close friend be the one to get through to Nicholas? Or will he in turn run down a spiraling path of darkness?

**The Wedding**

In those days, if you were to be seen with a Chidori, you were considered a traitor. Witches and wizards, regardless of age, were pulled and forced away from their classmates who seemed to be able to perform spells without a wand. One day, when the love of my life told me that he was in love with another woman, I felt my blood boil over, then, I saw the look on his face when Madison came into the show, wearing a sparkling diamond, as Benjamin Moore walked right behind her. High fashion, the new power couple strolled proudly, and I saw him gain acceptance, hiding behind a solemn face. He looked as if he had been shot by his blind spot.

"Nyoko?" Vida, Madison's proud sister, questioned my whereabouts. I longed for the piano, I longed for the notes to turn into melodies, and I began to play. Mezzo piano, focusing my mind elsewhere, knowing she was watching, and that he was solely focused on me. I was brought in as a "distraction," and trust me; I was more than just that.

Nicholas took my hand, and smiled. He used to tell me stories about his summer, his friends; slowly but surely, I ebbed away the hallow feeling, although I knew my time grew short. I had to let him know how much I did care, how much his opinion mattered to me. I could care less about Vida and her producer bigmouth of a boss, but I knew I needed something to create sound-I needed Nicholas to hear me.

"It's too late baby, I need to turn it around, I've got my hands in my pockets and my heads in the clouds, this is how I do, when I think about you." Fingers danced faster than I could remember, blurring.

"Hurry! Get a mic on her!" apparently, I drowned in music. Beads of sweat forming, nerves working over time, my throat dry.

"Nick?" I gripped the staircase, trying to catch my breath, "I can't breathe."

"You're kidding." I shook my head, and fell to my side, clenching my throat, blood spewing everywhere. Rocking me back and forth, he combed back my hair, Vida walked in a few minutes later. At the Emergency Room, I died-twice before the EKG showed any change. Over the next two hours, the graduating class of the Visual and Performing Arts department in UCLA were there. My doctor walked out the door; I knew this, because she was the last blurred image before I fell asleep.

"I have some good news, and some bad news. Any takers?"

"Just tell us what's wrong and how we can help, please." Reviewing my chart, she thumbed to one page and stopped.

"Her vitals are that of a dead person. Medically, she's dead, how her body maintains such high IQ, I don't know," whistling an old tune, the charge nurse from X-ray came with the CT scan.

"See?" holding my melon up to the light, "The one on the left is that of a normal, healthy, person; this," making a circle on the right at all the blue and red spots, "Tells us that she must have had this happen before. Like a computer, she-"

"Over heats?" Vida asked.

"Her body, to regain its proper function, must remain at the temperature of the morgue. Creepy, I know, but this isn't the first time that a patient has this condition."

"So," Matt, a bass player from Ohio began, "We stick her in a freezer?"

"Not quite. Unless any of you are AB-negative, which I highly doubt it, then I suggest you all get some rest. Nyoko Rioko is a peculiar case, but she'll be fine." Putting on a brave face, the doctor walked away to begin her daily rounds.

Mezzo forte. I blocked everything and everyone-there was only my music and me. I played as loudly as I could, the people shuffling in, some stopped and stared at Madison's ring, others, closer friends, looked at Nicholas. I told him that he made funny faces whenever he looked at me. He had three: when he loved something, his eyes reflected the heavens, when he was angry, he squinted, and when he looked at me, he stared. He was staring now; I could feel his eyes bearing down on me. I will always be his number two, but I had the honor to be everything Madison was not.

Bad singing, Madison and her beau attempted to sing a song. How quaint, I thought. Trying to cover up their mistakes, I gave into selfish ways, causing me to stop playing. I walked off the small stage, leaving the audience stunned. I snatched a cordless microphone from the table. It went along nicely with my violet cocktail dress.

I took Nick by the hand, and my golden eyes peered into his emerald orbs, "Well some search, never finding a way. Before long, they waste away! I found you; something told me to stay. I gave in, to selfish ways! And how I miss someone to hold when hope begins to fade."

The stunned look on everyone's face was remarkable. Never had they heard my voice as powerful in that moment. I dropped the microphone on the floor, and quickly excused myself from the thunderous applause. Why did I have to showcase my feelings that way? I kept walking, focusing on the distant tree that marked the division of the lands. Straight home, I told myself.

"Don't look back," I whispered, staring into the dark night, "I'm going home, back to the life of a general's daughter." Crossing the border, I was greeted by the nightingale's song. I had a small smile on my face by the time I reached the marble-painted door. Knocking, I was greeted, by candlelight.

"Little Miss, you're back so soon?" the old woman squinted, but moved aside when I shuffled through the door.

"Marie? Who is it?" my older brother's voice called, then seeing me unfasten my shoes, he leaned against the doorway, folding his arms across his chest.

"What was his name?"

"It doesn't matter." I retorted.

"C'mon, what went wrong? I thought you had to stay there all summer." I shook my head with a wry smile, "He loved someone else."

"And not you?" I shook my head, "Maybe another time, and another place. All that matters is that I'm home now."

"Nyoko? What are you doing here?" Our father emerged from the shadows, "I don't care if he fell in love with another woman, and you're going back there to apologize." I opened my mouth to protest, but being the general, I learned to be his subordinate.

"Go back? When, now? You can't expect her to go back! See?" stepping on my dress, "My dress is torn."

"She can wear your suit." Giving his back to us, my brother, sighed, pulling me gently towards his room. I stood on the outside, waiting to see which suit he was going to pull out. Instead, he motioned for me to come in, and there, splattered across the bed was a noble red tunic.

"That's nice. Where's the rest of it?" I asked, slightly puzzled.

"You have your long boots, don't you?"

"Oh, no. I can't wear that! He's going to take me for a whore!"

"Just put it on. I'm taller and a little heavier than you. That old thing would be a dress on you." Being the younger of the two, I undressed myself while he looked away, and pulled the monstrosity over my head. I tried pulling down the length of the tunic, but it stopped at mid thigh. Wearing my basic black walking shoes, I presented myself to the general. He arched his eyebrow at me before opening the door, chivalry wasn't dead, and it was just a Chidori common courtesy.

When I had returned, the store was nearly empty, except for Madison and Ben, who told everyone for the thousandth time how they got engaged, and this was not the PG version. Fortunately for me, I was able to get a hold of Nicholas; he locked himself inside the stock room.

I knocked, gently at first, and when he still wouldn't come out, I told him to pull himself together: "One way or the other, Nick, you'll have to face this sooner or later. I rather have you come outside that way you can grow accustom to the change!" I was ready to kick the door down, but I stopped; I rubbed my hands together, and touched the knob. It unlocked itself, and I knew he was damning in every conceivable way all Chidori-kind.

"Don't worry, I made sure it locked itself." I said, closing the door behind it. Hearing the miniscule gears turn, I turned my attention to the half empty bottle, fuming ashes, and just stared at him, quietly.

"Walk with me." I said.

"No."

I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Fine. Stay here and be miserable." I turned my back on him, debating whether or not to stay inside the darkened room or not. Fumbling a glass, I heard the gurgling of rum. My boots clicked on the tile, as the sound stopped, I leaned on the table, and just side swept everything (glass, bottle, ashtray), to the floor. From the outside, the crash of glass sounded like a bar fight, and then the yelling ensued.

"You're an idiot!" I began.

"Oh really? Am I an idiot who came back to see the girl of his dreams waltz right in with a diamond the size of Mars?" he roared back.

"At least I'm not the one who drank his troubles away! Unlike you, I let nature take its course!" The feud went on for over ten minutes.

"We should go," Madison suggested, but it wasn't until they saw me walk out of the room without a smile on my face. I could still hear his slurred speech, I sighed, turned around and my left fist met his face.

"Just shut up already! Damn it!" I said, picking him up by the collar, "I don't want to hear it, Nicholas! I don't! I'm sick and tired of having to sit through your bullshit! I don't care! You hear me? Arugh!" I slammed my good fist into the tile next to him.

Leaving the ghosts of my past and my skeletons in my closet, I decided, two years later, to pay a visit back to the old record store. I haven't spoken to Nicholas in ages. From what I heard, through letters from Vida, he never went back to loving Madison, as a matter of fact, she told me that he was in love with someone else. I met up with her at the store, and she pulled me aside to the magazine aisle.

"It's you," Vida said smiling.

"Me?"

"Nick, he, ugh," Vida had her ways, but seeing my reaction was worth the two years of physical separation.

"Are you sure, tonight? Isn't it Madison's wedding?" I asked. I recall that since Ben had to graduate before their wedding date, the wedding had been pushed back to tonight. I had to be there, I even received an invitation, which I threw away, but Vida covered me.

"You're my 'plus one.'" I shoved her playfully.

"I don't have a gown or anything," I said nervously.

"Hey! Lock up will, you?" tossing the keys to a blonde air-headed teen, who nodded in return. She dragged me into every store this side of Briarwood, and well, nothing fit or looked just right. It was nearly six and with the wedding starting in a little less than hour, I was ready to give up.

"Vida, I know you want me to go, but at this point, I'm better showing up in what I'm wearing right now rather than having you spend money on me." Vida looked at the white and blue Lieutenant uniform.

"That's plan Z," opening the door to one last bridal boutique.

"What can we do for you today?" a nice, well kept seamstress asked, eying the questionable outfit that I wore.

"We're on our way to my sister's wedding, and well, she forgot her bridesmaid dress at home-"

"In Canada." I finished.

"Oy vey!" Whistling the various women in the store to come to her aid, I was not to sure about the dress they picked out for me, but judging by the look on Vida's face, it was worth the wait.

"Merci!" Vida hauled a cab and gave him the directions to the church and shoved me like a creampuff into the backseat.

"What about you?" I called out from the window.

"I'll meet you there!" She hauled another cab for herself and zipped by to the house-with my clothes. I guess the driver never saw such regal beauty in his car before, because he couldn't stop staring into the rear-view mirror at every stoplight.

"You going to that wedding?" he asked, in a thick accent, pulling up to the Gothic cathedral. I didn't give him an answer; rather, I just walked out, with the help of the ushers. I picked up my dress from the side, and climbed the numerous cold steps.

I waited for Vida, who came about fifteen minutes later. We checked in at the guest-signing booth, and then found our reserved seats, front row center. Xander, Chip, and Nicholas stood at the side of the altar, with Ben.

"Do we know her?" Xander asked, Ben shook his head at his best man, and whispered, "No. Do you?"

"Not me." Vida told me to sit tight as she went up to approach them.

"Who's your friend Vi?" Chip asked, slightly annoyed at Xander's gawking.

"She's my plus one. And no, Xander, she's not interested."

"Oh come on!" he whined. I sighed, and looked around the standing-room-only church. Shaking my head, I noticed the pastor was ready for the ceremony to begin, so I stood up. Tapping Vida's shoulder, she turned around and I gave her a nod in the direction of the pastor.

"Good luck…" she said, smiling, fixing Chip's tie. I flashed a helpful smile, as the ceremony begun.

At the reception, I felt my nerves kick in again. Vida told me to keep positive. Lo and behold, like Cinderella, there was an announcer at the entrance of the La Notte ballroom. I took one deep breath as the man asked for my name and title, if any.

"Announcing Lt. First Class Nyoko Rioko!" You could hear a pin drop; never had I heard such a silence befall a crowd of two hundred guests. I gulped, my hands shaking; I marched in.

"What are they all staring at?" Vida asked to herself, then, remembering the bright sapphire gown drowning one of her closest friends. I combed my nightshade hair behind my ears, and safely made it down the mini-staircase. The bride stood up, gawking at the "other woman." To say that I gained more attention than the blushing beauty is a lie; sitting, eating a three-course meal, sharing in a toast, and then the maestro cued the orchestra. Vida quickly got many offers, as did I, but I just turned them all away-Vida, didn't.

"If I ever have to hear one more guy ask me to dance, I'd think I'd die." Vida said, plopping down next to me, "So, what about you? That cute co-worker of Ben's seemed pretty nice."

I shook my head as I stirred my shot of Barcardi, I drank the shot in Vida's surprised face.

"Nick hasn't asked you to dance yet?" I winced at the thought.

"Nope." Placing a hand on top of mine, she gave me a genuine smile, "He'll come around. Well," walking towards our table, "Speak of the devil. I'm going to go get myself a drink, you want anything?"

"Martini." I said, sarcastically. Regardless of being just a few feet away, I knew that this was meeting was coming.

"I missed you," he admitted.

"The last time we met, you were the drunk, and I was your Saving Grace." Taking my hand, he gripped it firmly, pulling me up as he did so.

"Dance with me."

"I rather not, Nick."

"That wasn't an option." Together we danced, fancy footwork from training helped the two of us, especially myself, from making ourselves look bad. Letting him go, and having him pull me back into his arms, I never felt so invincible. Being the gentleman that he was, once the floor was becoming more crowded, Nick escorted me back to the sea of tables. He sat down first, then I took the liberty of sitting down on his lap. I leaned back as he rocked me back and forth.

"I miss this." I said softly, closing my eyes. Kissing my cheek, he agreed. Barely able to keep myself awake, I just lolled into sleep. At the end of the night, mind you it was four in the morning, Vida came to fetch me, but instead allowed Nicholas the honor of taking me home.

The sun's rays were my alarm clock. I buried my head under the covers, groaning because of the minor headache I had. I blamed the loud music and the several alcoholic beverages I drank the night before. Somehow, I was still in that navy gown, shoes and all. An icy hand somehow found its resting place in my forehead. I barely opened my right eye to see who it was, but I didn't care.

"How are you feeling?" The voice grabbed my attention real quick. I bolted straight up, nearly knocking Nick off the bed.

"We didn't do anything, did we?" I asked, murderous intent was in every ounce of my being.

"No, and how much does that dress weigh?" I smacked him with a pillow.

"Just let me sleep, will you?" I said, leaning back, my hand covering my face.

"Move over," he said, sweetly. I wasn't in any mood to argue, so I just rolled over, the dress swishing. I fell back asleep with a growing smile on my face.


End file.
